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Their stores are big and bright and somehow more "upscale" than Wal-Mart or Kmart. But behind that chipper-looking exterior lurks a company that can be downright mean-spirited when its customers run into even the slightest problem.

Target's spiteful returns and exchanges policy, in particular, is making it the target of some pretty heated rhetoric from its former customers.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

Brandon of Livermore, CA September 22, 2009

I am a Target "team member" and have been working there for about six months now. I'm new to retail, having all my experience in landscaping. Over these past months I have become rather frustrated at Target policies and the like. There are a number of things I have an issue with.

First off I submitted my W-4 over 6 months ago back in April, and I just got a letter in the mail from Target saying they had just received my 'recently submitted' W-4 and that I had made one error on it, so they voided it and will require me to redo and resubmit the form, which will likely take them another six months to process. I found out that it took them over five months to just receive and process the form! I understand they are a large corporation, but that is just inexcusable. It also took them two months to process my 'change of availability' form, that I had to submit two of because of their poor paperwork and communication skills; once I had gotten the times changed it was far beyond the original date that I had stated I would not be able to work, yet they still scheduled me for those times.

I am a hard worker, and my manager told me they were really impressed and how all the team leaders wanted me to work for them, and the like. They said they were going to reward me for my hard work- they gave me a 10 gift card. I get paid 9 an hour, after this I lost incentive to work hard, I would rather they just gave me an extra hour of work. I am well aware I work at a glorified Walmart, but really now. Various managers have also made empty promises to me to train me on a number of different things with no sign of them ever coming to fruition. Also coming from landscaping I am not used to the whole electronic time clock, and thus lunch time and length of the lunch time is a more loose principle; therefore Target's ultra strict '5th hour' compliance rule (lunch must be taken before one's 5th hour of work, a minute after and you get in trouble and it goes on your record) is rather ridiculous.

Most of the time I am not only completing my own tasks, but also my team leaders tasks and managers tasks FOR them, while they constantly complain about how I (and us employees often) are taking too long not understanding our work load and their constant interruptions. That said I have cut it close numerous times clocking out for lunch, but once I was one minute late and had to be talked to and now its on my record! Where is the common sense and leniency?!?

Worse yet, is that when you are hired, even as part time, there is an understanding that you will be given consistent hours, and that you will be at least notified in advance say if they have to cut back hours...this is not the case with Target. It happened to me when I had first started there and had been working for two weeks when I didn't have work for an entire week, which I struggled financially to pay the bills. Since it hasn't happened to me again, however it has happened to several of my coworkers who have had an upwards of two weeks without work, that is one entire paycheck! This is all without any forewarning that hours will be cut back or nonexistent for some. Most of us have two jobs to just pay the rent, and it's no laughing matter to just rob a good hard working employee of work who struggles to survive financially.

I just want to warn potential job hunters, that Target doesn't always keep it promises about work stability among other matters, and I haven't even brushed the subject about some of the quality of their products...behind Target's smiles and notions of benevolence are stingy and insensitive values.

SANDY of ANNAPOLIS, MD September 19, 2009

My credit card for target was closed due to inactivity. I did not agree to this and initally had the card so when I needed it, I had it. It had beed a few years since I used it, however, it should not have been closed without my consent. This is very poor customer realtions!

Billy of Panama City, FL September 7, 2009

I purchase an Olivea 47in HDTV from Target 8 months back. Syntax Brillian the company that makes the TV and claims to have a one year warranty would only repair the TV if I would ship the TV back to them (at my expense) in the original packing (to prevent damage). They set the stage by saying if it was damaged in shipping the repair facility would simply ship it back. I called Target and was told they only warranty the product for 3 months and they quite selling the Syntax Brillian brands because they had so much trouble with the product. I asked to speak to a suprevisor and after a 5 minute waite the first time, I was disconnected. I tried again and the next time I was immediately disconnected. I called a TV service repair shop to see what it would cost to have my TV repaired and when I told them the brand, the repair shop said they could not help me because they could not get parts for my TV and that because of that, they would not even come out to look at the TV.

Ingrid of charlotte, NC August 25, 2009

This is a complaint about a Chinese made product. BAKING cups made of simple paper, this one was Wilton, multi-colored. Smells awful. Rank odor. You don't know WHERE this paper has been, or WHAT it is made of. China is a third world nation.

I sincerely hope [they] pull it off [their] shelves. I'm returning it tomorrow and will explain. I cannot put food into this, food we will eat, so I'm inconvenienced. Please reconsider selling this product at Target, perhaps [they] can buy American.

Tommie of Galveston, TX August 22, 2009

I took a friend to the Galveston,TX Target store 8:30 pm on Fri. August 21, 2009. I went into the men's room. There are two stalls, one larger to accommodate the handicapped. I entered the smaller stall and notice it had toilet paper. However when I finished my business I realized there was really only a small amount of paper left on that role and none on the other role. Having used what little there was I proceeded to step out of the stall to see if there was paper in the other one. None on either of the rolls.

Fortunately there was no one in the restroom so I with my pants down around my knees proceeded to the paper towel dispenser used for drying hands. I got some of that paper and tried to adequately clean myself. Not enough and I was not going out again. I did not put that in the toilet which meant I had to carry it out of the stall and deposit it in the trash. I had several more errands to run and felt so dirty because I know I had not adequately cleaned myself. There is no excuser for not keeping the restroom stocked with toilet paper. Fortunately I am not handicapped. I hesitate to wonder how awful it might have been for some of lesser abilities. I feel dirty, disrected and humiliated.

Phil of Rochester NY, NY August 16, 2009

Purchased a Chair. When the box was opened the legs and hardware were missing. Called Target to request the missing items and was informed that they do not package the box and therefor are not responsible for the missing items. Target management suggested we call around to find a replacement. My response to Target, why should i have to do anything. I purchased it from your store...you find me a replacement. Manager informed me that they are getting a new shipment into the store on "Monday" but she could not confirm what was on the shipment (now that's awesome inventory management). I asked that they call me if the chair was included in the "Mystery Shipment" and i was advised that was not the policy of Target. I was informed that if i am unhappy i could return it...I will NEVER SHOP at Target again !

Debbie of Ossining, NY August 16, 2009

For the second time when I bought a product in the electronics department, I was talked into purchasing a "Targent Extended Service Plan". The first time, I did not ask any questions about it, so when Targent said that my broken item was not covered under the plan, I accepted it as my error.

The second time, I purchased a camera. I asked very specific questions before I purchased the plan. When the camera was broken, I took it back to Target. The employee looked at it...looked at my plan card...and said that of course this was covered by the pla. he even told me what was wrong with the camers. When I contacted Target, they told me immediately that the plan did not cover that type of damage....that I could "try" getting help from Fuji.

I AM FURIOUS!!!! I still would have purchased the camera from Target even if the original seller had told me that the plan did not cover breakage. But, I would not have purchaed the extra coverage. I am tired of being lied to so that I make an extra purchase. I have tried to find an address so that I can send copies of all my paperwork, but so far I am only given email access.

Diane of Jonesboro, GA August 6, 2009

I applied for a position at Target and when they called me in to interview me and processed me for drug/background check they gave me a position that I didn't want then told me that the position I applied for was unavailable and either I take the position they offered or nothing at all. I was upset but went ahead and took the drug/background check.

When I got home I checked and just like I thought; the job was still available on their site. I was called back in the following week and ready to work (with uniform colors I had purchased), only to be told that my background check and drug screen had not came back in. I called the drug screen examination office and was told that it was all cleared up and that I should receive a phone call from the Mgr. telling me I could start work....but, that never happened. Bottom line, I think Target is bogus to say the least.

It would have been courteous to recieve a phone call stating that they just didn't want to hire me instead of giving me the run around.

Doreen of Curwensville, PA August 5, 2009

I purchased a Uniden phone on Sunday August 2, 2009 at your Altoona store. When we hooked up the phone it already had messages on the answering machine and names and numbers in the phone book dating back to July 23, 2009. So, in other words I was sold a phone that I thought was new and it was used. There is problem with regeristing one of the units and to take it back is about an hour and a half drive. If [they] are going to put used items back on the shelf as new at least delete the information on them.

At that time I also bought a digital camera and though I have not used it yet I am hoping at least it is new. I can tell you now if I ever shop at a Target again I will be check to make sure that the product was not opened.

Kevin of cheyenne, WY August 3, 2009

I have a Target credit card, never been late on a payment, usually pay more then the amount due. Recently my interest rate junped to 22.99 % I have called twice on this and keep hearing the this amount is adjusted automatically. I have asked if someone could review this for a lower rate, they keep telling me that they are not reviewing at this time. I have not been to target since they raised this, it cost target most in lost profit then the 4% they have made on interest that I have paid. I hope people consider this before appling for treir card.

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